Australian Football

Hugh Torney was an exceptional ruckman whose partnership with legendary rover Dick Reynolds was much feted. He liked to grab the ball in ruck contests and shoot out a quick handball to a running team mate. An imposing figure, he was a quite majestic mark who won Essendon’s best and fairest award in 1940 and was twice a runner-up. The 1940 season also saw him running second in the Brownlow. His Essendon career comprised 173 VFL games in which he kicked 81 goals between 1933 and 1943. He was a premiership player in 1943 having earlier played in the previous year’s losing grand final.

Torney rounded off his career with Williamstown in the VFA in 1945. His 18 games with the Seagulls did not include that year’s winning grand final against Port Melbourne.

Author - John Devaney